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58-717: The type locality for the Sisquoc Formation is along the Sisquoc River , in northern Santa Barbara County, about a mile east of its confluence with Foxen Canyon. In this location the formation consists mainly of sandstones, but also some siltstone and diatomite, and is about 1,100 feet thick. In other places, such as in the Purisima Hills north of Lompoc, in and adjacent to the Lompoc Oil Field , its total thickness reaches 5,000 feet. Diatomite

116-450: A rotisserie or grilled over local red oak wood. The side dishes complementing a typical "Santa Maria-style" barbecue generally consist of garlic bread , pinquito beans , and a salad . Sunset Magazine's August 2013 issue features a 10-page spread on Santa Maria Style BBQ, crowning Santa Maria as "The West's Best BBQ Town". Santa Maria, along with the neighboring Lompoc , Los Alamos and Santa Ynez Valleys , combine to create one of

174-406: A basketball ball court an art room and a snack room. It also has two Santa Maria style bbq sets and a baseball field. Waller Park is a 154-acre park located at the south end of Santa Maria, featuring two large duck ponds with water fountains, several playgrounds, picnic and sports areas, a hiking trail, and a frisbee golf course. The first parcels of land that would become Waller Park were donated by

232-470: A female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40 and the average family size was 3.85. In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

290-675: A large presence in the area, since oil was first discovered at the Orcutt Oil Field in 1902. By 1957, there were 1,775 oil wells in operation in the Santa Maria Valley, producing more than $ 640 million worth of oil. According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Santa Maria-style barbecue is a regional culinary tradition rooted in the Santa Maria Valley. The tri-tip steak has its roots in Santa Maria. Tri-tip

348-470: Is a California public community college located in northern Santa Barbara County. Allan Hancock College was ranked as one of the five best community colleges in California and one of the nation's top 120 community colleges. Approximately 11,500 credit students enroll each semester at one of the college's four locations in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Solvang, or at Vandenberg Space Force Base . The main campus

406-575: Is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin . It is a small triangular muscle, usually 1.5 to 2.5 lb (680 to 1,130 g) per side of beef. In the United States, this cut was typically used for ground beef or sliced into steaks until the late 1950s, when it became a local specialty in Santa Maria. "Santa Maria-style" barbecue is usually used in reference to the seasoning of tri-tip or other meats (most notably top sirloin , or "top block") when rubbed with salt, pepper, and spices and cooked whole on

464-531: Is a major component of the formation in the hills north and south of Lompoc, where it is interbedded with diatomaceous clay shale. The lowest portion of the formation in the Purisima Hills contains tar, for it is here that the unit forms an impermeable cap on the underlying Monterey reservoir of the Lompoc Oil Field. The Sisquoc Formation is not as resistant to erosion as other formations in

522-400: Is also home to the annual Strawberry Festival, in addition to a wide variety of other events, concerts, and conventions. The Paul Nelson Aquatic Center offers an Olympic-size competition pool, as well as a recreational pool with a fan-shaped zero-depth entryway. It has swim lessons and a swim club and in the summer it's open for the public and anyone can swim in it. In the main building it has

580-878: Is also the Paul Nelson Aquatic Center/Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center. Rotary Centennial Park has a basketball court, a baseball field, a large open grass area, and two playgrounds. Each year, the Annual Free Family Kite Festival organized by the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is held there. Santa Maria's government is split down the middle of the political spectrum , in contrast to Santa Barbara, which tends to be more liberal. Due in part to this political division, plus irrigation and water-supply issues, many attempts have been made to divide

638-414: Is approximately 9 miles (14 km) to the west of Santa Maria. Santa Maria experiences a cool Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csb ) typical of coastal areas of California north of Point Conception. The climate is mostly sunny, refreshed by the ocean breeze. Fog is common. Snow in the mountains is seen during the winter. In the lowest parts of the city it is virtually unknown; with

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696-541: Is important as a source of diatomaceous earth and as a petroleum reservoir . As a stratigraphic member of petroleum reservoirs, it can be both a reservoir and a sealing unit. Sometimes, as in the Lompoc Oil Field , it serves as an impermeable cap rock to an oil-bearing unit, in that case in the Monterey Formation ; in other cases, such as in the Casmalia Oil Field and the offshore portion of

754-572: Is in a 105-acre park in Santa Maria. Allan Hancock College is known for its distinguished athletic programs which have included former head football coaches John Madden and Ernie Zampese , as well as Gunther Cunningham . The college is also home to the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts , one of the state's finest theatre programs. Santa Maria is also home to Santa Barbara Business College , which has been serving

812-737: Is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km ) of it (2.73%) is water. Santa Maria is situated north of the unincorporated community of Orcutt, California , and south of the Santa Maria River (which serves as the line between Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County ). The valley is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the east by the San Rafael Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest . The city of Guadalupe, California

870-710: Is located in Solvang, California in the Santa Ynez Valley . Santa Maria is also home to one large indoor Regal Edwards movie theater, located in the Town Center Mall. Santa Maria also has a small community theatre, the Santa Maria Civic Theatre which is located on the northwest side of town. Santa Maria Fairpark, located at Stowell Road and Thornberg Street, is home to the annual Santa Barbara County Fair, which began in 1891. It

928-579: The Ellwood Oil Field , it is an oil-bearing unit in its own right. In the Casmalia field, west of Santa Maria , pebbly and high-porosity units contain a considerable amount of oil, while clay-rich and diatomaceous mudstones contain almost none. While most of the oil found in the Sisquoc Formation has gotten there by migrating upward from the underlying Monterey Formation, the primary source rock for petroleum in southwestern California, sometimes

986-542: The Los Padres National Forest to the east, and by the Solomon Hills and the city of Santa Maria to the west. Santa Maria's Allan Hancock College is the home of The Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA), a theatrical school and production company. Notable alumni include: Robin Williams , Kathy Bates , Kelly McGillis , Mercedes Ruehl , Scott Aukerman , and Zac Efron . An additional PCPA theatre

1044-511: The USGS estimates that the Lompoc mine alone with its large reserves could meet the needs of the entire world for centuries. Type locality (geology) Type locality , also called type area , is the locality where a particular rock type , stratigraphic unit or mineral species is first identified. If the stratigraphic unit in a locality is layered, it is called a stratotype , whereas

1102-532: The poverty line , including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. Agriculture plays an important role in the city's economy. The Santa Maria area is home to an increasing number of vineyards , wineries and winemakers and is centrally located to both the Santa Ynez and Foxen Canyon areas of Santa Barbara County's wine country, and San Luis Obispo County's Edna Valley - Arroyo Grande wine country. The agricultural areas surrounding

1160-635: The stratigraphic sequence in coastal California, and south of the Santa Ynez Mountains it weathers to hilly terrain with gray soil that supports grasses. It outcrops rarely, being best exposed in road cuts, along rivers, and especially along the cliffs on the coast, where it is easily visible from the beach. Many prominent exposures of the Sisquoc occur at the beaches along the Gaviota Coast from Santa Barbara west to Gaviota . In

1218-712: The 1930s, with the discovery of the Santa Maria Valley Oil Field in 1934, right underneath the southern and western parts of the city of Santa Maria, which spurred the city's growth even further. By 1957 there were 1,775 oil wells in operation in the Santa Maria Valley , producing more than $ 640 million worth of oil. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 22.4 square miles (58 km ), of which, 22.8 square miles (59 km ) of it

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1276-476: The Santa Maria Basin – the area surrounding the city of Santa Maria and the hills to the south and southwest – well-weathered outcrops of the formation are often bleached white. The Sisquoc Formation was deposited in a middle bathyal environment, at a depth of between 150 and 1500 meters, between approximately 4 and 6 million years ago – the upper Miocene and lower Pliocene eras. During this time,

1334-597: The Santa Maria Golf and Country Club in 1928, and the remainder of the land was purchased in 1964 and 1967. Preisker Park, located at the north end, is home to large open fields, a disc golf course, playgrounds and picnic areas. Its main feature is the large pond with a small replica of the Santa Maria ship, which children can play on. The Santa Maria Skate Park is located in Fletcher Park. There

1392-616: The Santa Maria River and U.S. 101. The Santa Maria Valley Railroad (SMVRR) is a shortline freight railroad to Guadalupe where the Union Pacific Railroad Interchange point is. Main business includes storage of railroad cars when northern California and southern California storage area are full. In the 1990s, the city proposed a light rail service to replace the SMV's right-of-way, as its future

1450-615: The Sisquoc Formation. Within Santa Barbara County, the Sisquoc alone has produced 127 separate finds, which are catalogued by the University of California, Berkeley Museum of Paleontology. In addition to the abundant diatoms which make up the diatomite, fossils include vertebrates such as sea lions and walruses, bony and cartilaginous fishes, and birds. Additional fossils include radiolarians , arenaceous foraminifers , and remains of sponges. The Sisquoc Formation

1508-404: The Sisquoc is itself a source rock. In places the formation contains enough organic carbon – up to six percent – to generate oil under the right conditions, such as burial in deep synclines with high enough temperature and sufficient time (several million years) to cause the kerogen from the decomposing organic matter to be matured, via hydrocarbon cracking , into petroleum. The diatomites of

1566-470: The Sisquoc, like those of the Monterey, can function both as oil-bearing units – where they have been capped with impermeable beds – or they may be oil-free, in which case, if they are near the surface and of sufficient purity, they can be mined as diatomaceous earth . The world's largest such deposit, operated by Imerys , is in the Sisquoc and Monterey formations in the hills south of Lompoc, California ;

1624-441: The age of 18 living in them, 14,616 (54.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,962 (14.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,901 (7.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,754 (6.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 190 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 5,079 households (18.9%) were made up of individuals, and 2,431 (9.0%) had someone living alone who

1682-614: The city and the entire region. Between 1869 and 1874, four of the valley's settlers, Rudolph Cook, John Thornburg, Isaac Fesler (for whom Fesler Jr. High School is named), and Isaac Miller (for whom Miller Elementary School is named), built their homes near each other at the present corners on Broadway and Main Street. The townsite was recorded in Santa Barbara in 1875. The new town was named Grangerville, then changed to Central City. It became Santa Maria on February 18, 1885, since mail

1740-566: The city are some of the most productive in California, with primary crops including strawberries , wine grapes , celery , lettuce , peas , squash , cauliflower , spinach , broccoli and beans . Many cattle ranchers also call the Santa Maria Valley home. Farmworkers in Santa Barbara County earn an average hourly wage of ~$ 17/hr in 2024. Two of the city's major retail centers, the Crossroads, completed in 1999, and

1798-399: The city was 58.1% White , 1.9% African American , 1.8% Native American , 4.7% Asian , 0.18% Pacific Islander , 28.02% from other races , and 5.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59.7% of the population. There were 22,146 households, out of which 42% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 13.3% had

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1856-451: The community since 1982. The following TV stations broadcast in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria Television Market Area: U.S. Route 101 runs through the middle of the Santa Maria Valley and is the main freeway connecting many West Coast cities. It has been improved to freeway status (meaning all at-grade intersections have been eliminated) within the city of Santa Maria itself. A $ 32 million widening project that expanded

1914-454: The county area of Tanglewood and the county area just outside Santa Maria heading toward Guadalupe. There are also four notable private schools in the valley: St. Joseph High School , St. Marys Catholic School, Valley Christian Academy, and Pacific Christian School (K-6th grade). The Orcutt Union School District serves students who live in the unincorporated community of Orcutt and serves students in grades K through 12. Allan Hancock College

1972-516: The county, the northern portion from Point Conception upwards to become Mission County. Thus far the movement has been unsuccessful. Santa Maria is a reliably Democratic stronghold, having voted for the Democratic candidate for the past six elections, as of 2020 . The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) is the oldest high school district in the State of California and runs

2030-602: The end of the Mexican War in 1848, California was ceded to the United States, and was granted statehood with the Compromise of 1850 . In the late 19th century, the area's rich soil attracted farmers and other settlers. By the end of the century, the Santa Maria River Valley had become one of the most productive agricultural areas in the state. Agriculture remains a key component of the economy for

2088-623: The formation (when conditions are right, these organic remains form petroleum reservoirs ). South of the Santa Ynez Mountains, the ocean was deeper and the formation consists of finer muds and clays. Going east along the Santa Ynez River, the Sisquoc Formation grades into the Tequepis Sandstone , in which diatomite is gradually replaced by sandstones of granitic origin. Numerous fossils have been found in

2146-458: The freeway from four to six lanes between Santa Maria Way and the Highway 166 exit was completed by early 2009. State Route 1 runs around the western edge of the city and connects it to nearby Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc . The section of US 101 in the city is a freeway, and a small part of a nearby section of Highway 1 that runs between the city and the base is also a freeway, but

2204-547: The historic Enos Ranch site, still under development, are both situated adjacent to the U.S. Route 101/Betteravia Road interchange and feature several prominent big-box stores. The city is also home to the Santa Maria Town Center , the only enclosed shopping mall in Santa Barbara County and the largest on the Central Coast, located at the junction of Broadway and Main Street. Santa Maria also features

2262-592: The historic Santa Maria Inn, located on South Broadway; originally built in 1917 by Frank McCoy, it is a registered historic landmark and features a wide range of amenities. Several famous guests have stayed at this inn, including Charlie Chaplin , Rudolph Valentino , Bette Davis , Bing Crosby , and Herbert Hoover . In recent years, other industries have been added to the city's agricultural and retail mix, including: aerospace; communications; high-tech research and development; energy production; military operations; and manufacturing. The petroleum industry has long had

2320-565: The large Orcutt Oil Field in the Solomon Hills south of town, and a number of smaller companies also began pumping oil. Two years later, Union Oil had 22 wells in production. Other significant discoveries followed, including the Lompoc Oil Field in 1903 and the Cat Canyon field in 1908. Over the next 80 years more large oil fields were found, and thousands of oil wells drilled and put into production. Oil development intensified in

2378-536: The last brief flurry recorded in January 1949. The only recorded earlier snowfall was in January 1882. Rainfall averages 13.32 in (338 mm) annually; however as is typical for the region it is very variable, with actual falls ranging from just 4.25 in (108 mm) in the “rain year” from July 1971 to June 1972, to 32.56 in (827 mm) between July 1997 and June 1998. The wettest month on record has been January 1995 with 11.78 in (299 mm) , and

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2436-501: The nation's largest wine-producing regions, referred to as the Santa Barbara Wine Country. The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley is the northernmost appellation in Santa Barbara County . The region's first officially approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse microclimates. Chardonnay and Pinot noir are two varietals which especially benefit from

2494-406: The ocean's influence, and are the flagship wines of this appellation. Santa Maria Valley grapes are also used by wineries throughout Santa Barbara County and at many wineries outside of the county. The Santa Maria Valley name is used on labels from wineries that are based far away from the Santa Barbara County sunshine. The Santa Maria Valley appellation is bounded by the San Rafael Mountains and

2552-442: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 52,083 people (52.3%) lived in rental housing units. According to the 2000 census , there were 77,423 people, 22,146 households, and 16,653 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,005.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,546.6/km ). There were 22,847 housing units at an average density of 1,182.1 units per square mile (456.4 units/km ). The racial makeup of

2610-404: The region was continuing to subside ; as a result, sediments deposited later in the period tend to be finer-grained, since the deeper the water, the finer the sediment deposited there. Even though the deposition environment was far from shore, the unit contains occasional conglomerates. One such unit near More Mesa Beach in Santa Barbara, containing clasts from the underlying Monterey Formation,

2668-486: The slopes of the surrounding hills among the oaks , on the banks of the Santa Maria River among the sycamores , and along the coast. They had unique plank-built boats, called Tomol , which they used for ocean fishing. In 1769, the Portolá Expedition passed through the Santa Maria Valley during the first Spanish land exploration up the coast of Las Californias Province. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

2726-505: The standard of reference for unlayered rocks is the type locality. The concept is similar to type site in archaeology . Santa Maria, California Santa Maria ( Spanish for " St. Mary ") is a city in the Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County . It is approximately 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Santa Barbara and 150 miles (240 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles . Its population

2784-503: The three primary public high schools in the area: Santa Maria High School , Pioneer Valley High School , and Ernest Righetti High School . The Santa Maria-Bonita School District is home to 16,900 students in 17 elementary schools (K-6th grade) and four junior high schools (7th-8th grade). The schools in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District serve students who live within the city limits of Santa Maria,

2842-407: The two freeway segments do not directly connect to each other. State Route 135 is considered to be the major artery through the city. It comes from Los Alamos , a town to the south of Santa Maria, and it enters Orcutt and Santa Maria as an expressway. The expressway runs all the way to Santa Maria Way. Highway 135 then turns into Broadway and runs through the heart of the city and all the way up to

2900-485: The wettest day February 10, 1938, when 3.55 in (90 mm) fell in 24 hours. The record high temperature of 110 °F (43.3 °C) was observed on June 20, 2008, while the record low of 20 °F (−6.7 °C) was observed twice: on January 2, 1976, and December 7, 1978. The 2010 United States Census reported that Santa Maria had a population of 99,553. The population density was 4,255.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,643.0/km ). The racial makeup of Santa Maria

2958-623: Was 109,707 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous city in the county and the Santa Maria- Santa Barbara , CA Metro Area. The city is notable for its wine industry and Santa Maria–style barbecue . The Santa Maria Valley, stretching from the Santa Lucia Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean , was the homeland of the Chumash people for several thousand years. The Native Americans made their homes on

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3016-423: Was 28.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males. There were 28,294 housing units at an average density of 1,209.4 units per square mile (467.0 units/km ), of which 13,893 (51.6%) were owner-occupied, and 13,015 (48.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 46,463 people (46.7% of

3074-410: Was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 51,739, and the median income for a family was $ 48,233. Males had a median income of $ 28,700 versus $ 22,364 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,780. About 15.5% of families and 19.7% of the population were below

3132-548: Was 55,983 (56.2%) White , 1,656 (1.7%) African American , 1,818 (1.8%) Native American , 5,054 (5.1%) Asian , 161 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 29,841 (30.0%) from other races , and 5,040 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 70,114 persons (70.4%). The Census reported that 98,546 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 588 (0.6%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 419 (0.4%) were institutionalized. There were 26,908 households, out of which 13,223 (49.1%) had children under

3190-422: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.66. There were 20,479 families (76.1% of all households); the average family size was 4.06. The population was spread out, with 31,302 people (31.4%) under the age of 18, 12,170 people (12.2%) aged 18 to 24, 28,486 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 18,204 people (18.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,391 people (9.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

3248-425: Was established just north of the valley in 1772, and Mission La Purísima Concepción was established near present-day Lompoc in 1787. Rather than rich soil, white settlers were attracted here by the possibility of free land. In 1821, after the Mexican War of Independence , the mission lands in Santa Maria Valley were made available for private ownership under a Mexican land grant called Rancho Punta de Laguna . At

3306-423: Was often being sent by mistake to Central City, Colorado . Santa Maria was chosen from the name Juan Pacifico Ontiveros had given to his property 25 years earlier. Streets named after the four settlers now form a 6-block square centered at Broadway and Main Street, the center of town. Oil exploration began in 1888, leading to large-scale discoveries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1902, Union Oil discovered

3364-469: Was probably the result of a submarine landslide, bringing down pebbles and boulders from that older formation, which had already been uplifted onshore. The bulk of the Sisquoc north of the Santa Ynez River was deposited as a fine mud, rich with diatoms. Tests of these tiny marine creatures form diatomite, and some of their organic remains persist as the high organic carbon content of parts of

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